Flow-meter.



A. R. DoDE. FLOW METER* APPLIATION PILE 1,096,894. D SEPT 30 ma Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W'tness; Inventor:

` ma@ JqusLinRJOdge,

A. R DOUG PLOW METER.

APPLICATION MLM) am 1909.

Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

Inventor: sflustin R.Do dge, b LL 5 JCtTH.

Witnesses LW /f eut out to receive it.

`reznlings, to be the U-shaped meter AUSTIN DODGE, OF

'SCHENECTAD`Z, NEVI YORK, .e'iliSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, fi GOtlEORlMLION Q15 NIlBl/V YORK.

ytemouf-ra:einen llatented May 19, '19ml el, serial No. 520,420. i

1,096,894 Specification of Letters Patent.

y Application tiled September 30, 19139.

To all whom, fit m cy concern le it known that l, AUSTIN ll. Donne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State otl New York7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flow-Meters, el' which the following is a specification.

vThis invention relates to apparatue for measuring the flow of Steam or other fluid through a pipe or main in pournls weight per hour.- It is especially' designed to show the amount o'l' leakage tnough the shalt packing of a steam turbine, but applicable to manyother situations. The meter or apparatus is mounted for directconnection with the steam nn'ain7 a Section ol" which ia ln a piece ot vertical tubing olf the proper length to connect the ends ol: said steam inain arranged one leg! of a U-Shaped meter tube. the' other leg beingf` a glass gage tube outside ot Said tubing and parallel tlnncwith. The meter tube is connected with an annular trough iueide the tubing which Serves to col ect water ol' ron densation and convey it into Said meter tube llVhen the device is not inns@ the water o l4 condensation tills both lege ot the lube to the same level, but when the steam column begins to move through the pipe or main the constriction produced by the annular trough causes an excess of Ipressure above said trough and in the legr ot the U-lube conueclml therewith, which forces down the nner in the glass tube to a point at which the pre sure becomes balanced b v the column of water in the other leg ol the Ud ubc. A graduated scale behind the glass' page tube enables made in accordzunftl with the varying positions; of the top ol" the water column in said tube. llZ desired, a greater unbalancing of pressure may be obtrdned by insertingl a Pitot nozzle into the Steam main above the annular trough end commet ingF said nozzle witlxthe top ol'V the trage tube. ln this case it 'will be more, convenient to connect the trongl'i with the imitar leg; ol

tubew In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my improvedmeter an n plplied to a shaft packing` of astenia. tinrbine1 the packing being shown in section; `2

in a longitudinal section of the meter; Fig. Il 1s a development ol' the ixylindrical gratin-- ated scale, and Fig. Llis a diagrammatic repreeentotion of a modification.

.llor illustrative purposes, the steam pipe or main l. is chown as conveying leakage steam '.lroni a chamber 2 in a packing' 3 for a vertical shaft fl at a point where itfpasees through a easing' 5 eontainingysteani under prefsin'e; such, Ator instance, as; the casing of an upright turbine of' the Curtis type. lhe pipe l could lead from the packing of' a horizontal Shaft il? desired. The pipe runs to Sonic convenient regimi, preierably4 to one where the energy olf' the Steam can be utilined to a greater or le Q extent, and at Some point, where ui 1a vertical the meter is inserted. The; conipri. -,en a section oil' pipe or tubing o, preh-rabl-v olf about the same dinmete ae ih elteunx pipe t) and provided at each end with a enniplhu;` 7, to connect it 4with the udine-,ent ends; ol' said Steam pipe n. globe valve il is irreu'ed into the lower coupling i and connected with its inner end by a short' nipple l0 in an elbow lil. i'rmn which rines a tube l2, preferably in the .:efler of the :section (i, and terminatingr near the top ol' said section. The upper end of lhie lube is closed by a plug; 13, but innnedial low the plugr are openings lll in the n r laa'nl tube. This tube 'forms the lont-pwinnie leg; ol? the meter tube. rl`he globe valve in similar to those used with Water nu +1 on steam lmilereJ having on its upper nh a nocltet and union l5 for the lower ein? al' a glues ,cage tube 1G, whose upper efui la reLA ceired iu a union 1"( on'a globe telve lil aci-owed .into the upper coupling: l nica eure nage 19 is; connected with this upper ,triche valve by a pipe Q0, and a pel (nich, 2l. upenn downwardly from the holhnn et the lov/ci," valve 9. The interior ol the tempting S torina a somewhat contracted thr 22 fau'- ronmlt-,d by nu annu upvadly encenliue;

lip 'which prodln an annular trough all" t duet S35i manueel. said trough with the upper globe valve. This constrieted throat ie than` located between, the ende of the outer and inner leggaol' the U-shapcd tube and producers a fflillerenee in pressure on opposite sidce o it when the steam is; flowing, in a The operation is as follows: So long as v the steamin the pipe l is not owing it ex erts an equal static pressure in both legs of the meter tube. The Water of condensation is collected by the trough 24@ and gradually .tills both legs of said tube u to the'level' of the openings 14. As soon,

steam begins to flow, the unbalanced pressure above the throat' 22 exerts adynamic pressure on the column oie. Water in the glass gage tube,v depressing it until the pressure corresponding to the ditierence in heights of, 'the water columns in the tubes 12 and 16 equals ynumber indicatingthe steam 'pressure as pipe,

the pressure due to the excess in pressure of.

the steam above the constriction. As the water level lowers in the gage tube the excess Water inthe tube 12 runs out through the holes 14. The scale cylinderfisthenfrotated until' the Wire 28 coincides with the given by the gage 19. The intersection of the top ot the water column in the-gage tube with one of the curved lines on thescale gives a reading of the dow of 'steam in' pounds Weight per hour. ln Fig. 1 the,

steam pressureis 2() pounds to the square inch, and the steam flow is about 85. The

meter will give accurate readings so long as the Water column in the gage tube is sta tionary or falling, but when it rises time must .'be given for the tube12 to till 'with' Water up to the opening 111-, which-isthe datum level from which the height of the unbalanced portion of the water column in that tube is measured. vvinasmuch, however, e leakage of steam through the shaft fr is quite uniform4 or slightly in J. the meter is satisfactory Vfor all piu'poses. Y l f' the meter tube is shown dia- 'cally as a continuous length ofactual construction would be as shownvin 1 and 3, except for the ,fact that the annular trough 24 and the oonstricted throat 22j are placed lower down in the main and the trough is connected by a pipe 30 .with the ot the meter tube, while t-he the outer glass gage tube 16 i llitct nozzle 31 inserted or' the steam main above inner leg 12 upper end oit' is connected through 'the owever, as theduced' in the two f legs vof said flow of Huid throughlthe pipe.

but it is to 'be understood thatthe' the throat22 and directed toward the steam column. AThis arrangement produces an increased unbalancing of the pressures in the two legs of the meter tube.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described .the principles of the operation of'myii'nvention t0- gether with the apparatus which I,now considei' to represent thebest embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can `be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

. 1. The combination with a substantially vertically arranged Huid-conveying pipe, of

.a tlv-shaped meter tube having one leg arrangedwithin saidpi'pe and the other leg having its upper portion in communication with the pipe, said tube being adapted tov cont-ain a column of gliquid, and means -wherebyan unbala-ncmg of pressure 1s pro- 2.'The combination with avertical'ly arranged fluid-conveying pipe, of a U-shaped tube by .the ,A

meter tube having one leg arranged length- I wise in. said' pipe'and the other leg composed of transparent material and communicating` 'at its' upperportion'with said pipe, said tube beingldapted to contain a column of liquid.

e combination with' avertically arrangedluidgconveying pipe, of a U-shaped meter tube having one -leg arranged lengthwise in said pi e and the otherleg outside o the same,-t ere being aA connection be tw'eenl the upper portion 'of the outside leg and the pipe, said tube being adapted to con- -tain a column of liquid,v and a oonstricted throat in -saidpipe between the ends of said inner and outside legs.

y. 4. The combinati-0n with a, veuicuiygai., ranged steam-conveying pipe, of an upright U- shaped meter tube having'one leg insideof said pipe and the other leg outside thereof, and means for collecting waterofjcondensa tion and' leading it` into the tube.

5,.,Thecomb1nation -with a steam-convey- 'i ing pipe havinga vertically disposed pojtion, of a coupling at each end o f said portion, aglobe valve inserted 'finto each coud pling, a glass gage tube connecting said valves, and a-tube connectedwith the lower valve and extending up inside said pipe.

6. The'combinationfwith a vertically arnecting saidv valves, a tube leading lfrom the lower valve up inslde said pipe, and anannular lip on the upper coupling forming a' groove and producing a constricted throat adjacent the upper end of said tube, there hanged steam-conveying pipe, .of a coupling y t each'end thereof, a globe valve inserted -in'to each coupling, a-v glass gage tube c on-4 through the pipe,

' a connection between Locali y:being a paseageconnecting the groove with thegage tube.

7. The combination with a vertically arranged luid-conyeying pipeof a Ushapcd meter tube having one leg arranged lengthwise therein and the other leg outnidc of and parallel with the saine, there being a connec tion between the upper portion of the outside leg and the-pipe, and a cylindrical scale rotatably mounted on said pipe adjacent to the outside leg.

8. The combination with a vertically ai'- ranged Huid-conveying pipe, of a `coupling at each end thereof, a U-shapcd meter tube having one leg inside and the' other leg out side of saidpipe, there being a connection between the upper portion of the outside log and the pipe, and a cylindrical scale concentric with said pipe and rotatable thereon with its lower end resting. on the lower coupling.

9. The combination with the shalt pack ingoi a steam' turbine, of a pipe Yleading from said packing, and a meter in said pipe for measuringthe flow therethrough of steam leaking through said packing. 10. The combination with a steam-convey ing pipe having a. vertically disposed portion, of a glass-gage tube arranged outside said portion in parallel relation thereto, a connection between the upper end .oft the tube and the pipe, a. tube within the pipe extending longitudinally thereof, the upper end of said tube being closed Vand alateral opening being 4provided in the Wallof the tube adjacent `said end, and a connection be; `tati-gen the lower ends of said tube and gage tu e. t

11. In a fluid meter, the combination with a substantially, vertically arranged fluid conveying pip'e,l of a U-shaped tube having one leg extending into the pipe, the other leg being outside the pipe, there being the upperl portion of the outside leg and the pipe, said tube being adapted to contain a column of liquid, and ay scale adjacent to the outside leg of the tube.

12. In ay fluid meter, the combination with a vertically arranged fluid conveying pipe, of a U-siha'ped tube having one leg extending into the pipe, the pipe, there being a connection between the upper portion ofthe outside leg and the pipe, said tube .being adapted to contain a column of liquid, means for producing a pressure dilei'encein the legs of the tube having a definite relation. to the flow and a scale rotatably mounted adjacent to the outside leg of the tube so that said scale can be adjusted to read the flow of fluid 'at different pressures. 13. In a fluid meter, the combination with a vertically arranged fluids-conveying pipe,

Amay be discharged, means with the other leg outside of' of a U-shaped tube adapted to contain a column of liquid, one leg or' the U-iube extending into thel pipe and the other leg heilig outside of said pipe, and nican u connecting the end portions of the U-tubc with the interior of thc pipe, said means including a ltot nozzle or tube in commi'lnication with one leg oi leaid tube.

it. Ina lluid metcijthe combination with a substantially vertically arranged main or adapted to contain a leg` of which is located outside the main and lhe other leg of which ia' located within the main and is closed against the impact' nl the [luid flowing therein. said last named leg having an orifice through which liquid collecting in the tube for supporting,r

pipe, ol a U-tubc column of liquid, one

the tube in relation to the main, means creating a pressure dill'erencc 0n the ende of the column that hatl a definite relation to the rate of flow of (luid -through the main, and means bearing a scale arranged adjacent to the leg' of the, tube which s outside'of the main.

15. In` a fluid meter, the combination with a vertically'dieposed main or pipe, of a U tube, one leg of which located inthe main, means for supporting the tube on the main, said tube being adapted to contain a column of liquid, means including a Pitot tube creating a preesure the column that has a definite relation to the rate of flow, and a scale arranged adjacent to on'e of the branches of the tube, said scale being adjustable to compensate for changes in the condition of the fluid.

16. ln a fluid meter, the combination With a vertically arranged main or pipe, of a-U- tube having the upper end portions of its branches in communication with the pipe, means supporting the tube on the pipe. a valve that controls the communication between the lower ends of the branches, and a valve that controls the (,'ommunication between the upper end of one branch and the pipe,'tlie upperend of the other branch being in open communication with the pipe.

17. ln an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a'section of tubing, couplings thereon to which the adjacent ends ci' the main to be metered are adaptedO 4to he connected. a U-tube adapted to contain a column of liquid, one 4leg oivhich is located within thetubing, is closed at one end against the impactof the fluid flowing in the main and' tubing and lhan an orifice through which fluid can escape, the other leg being located outside of said tubing, a d6- vice in the main adapted to establish a higher pressure in the, outside than in the inside lcg of the U-tube which varies in response to variations in the rate of flow of (luid through the main, said device also supfor for difference on the enus of 'iii 18y In an apparatus of the character- (le-- scribed, the combination of a section of tubing, couplings thereunto which the adjacent ends of the main to be metered are adapted .to be connected, a- U-llbe that is supported byone of the coup1ings,one of its legs being located in the tubing and the other outei e of it,`an'd a device supported by the other coupling adapted to establish a pressure in the U-tube corresponding to the rate of fiowvof the Huid being metered, which pressure is balanced bythe 'liquidin the 15 tube, said device also'supplying liquid to said tube.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of September, 1909.

AUSTIN R. DODGE. Vl'itnesses F. J. SIMBOLT, HELEN OnFonD. 

